Blister-card retail and storage packaging for button cells

ABSTRACT

A retail and storage pack in a blister card form including a carrier, and a plastics molded part with a planar base surface into which a depression has been introduced by thermoforming, wherein the planar base surface of the plastics molded part is fixed on the carrier such that the depression, together with the carrier, forms a closed receptacle for a cylindrical button cell, the receptacle comprises a central space of circular-cylindrical basic shape into which the button cell is inserted, and the receptacle includes a side space configured as a bulge of the central space and is configured such that it cannot be filled by the button cell.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a retail and storage pack of the blister cardtype.

BACKGROUND

The great demand for button cells inevitably also makes the packaging ofthis mass-produced article an important factor. The packaging must, onthe one hand, be economical, but must, on the other hand, also have anappealing appearance to encourage interest in buying. Retail and storagepacks of the blister card type are particularly widespread.

EP 259574 A2 discloses an example of a retail and storage pack of theblister card type for button cells, in which the packaging is formed onthe one hand by a tear-resistant, preferably transparent film made ofPVC or polyvinylidene chloride with cup-shaped embossings to accommodatethe button cells, and on the other hand by a closure film made ofaluminum that is sealed onto this in a smooth-surface manner. To removea button cell, the latter needs only to be pushed from the outsidethrough the easily tearable aluminum film.

However, that process can be carried out very easily, possibly even by asmall child. To minimize the risk that a small child mightunintentionally remove a button cell and swallow it, it is necessary topropose a new retail and storage pack for button cells for button cellswhich ensures better safety and in particular prevents the accidentalremoval of a button cell by a child.

SUMMARY

We provide a retail and storage pack in a blister card form including acarrier, and a plastics molded part with a planar base surface intowhich a depression has been introduced by thermoforming, wherein theplanar base surface of the plastics molded part is fixed on the carriersuch that the depression, together with the carrier, forms a closedreceptacle for a cylindrical button cell, the receptacle comprises acentral space of circular-cylindrical basic shape into which the buttoncell is inserted, and the receptacle includes a side space configured asa bulge of the central space and is configured such that it cannot befilled by the button cell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The FIGURE schematically shows one example of a retail and storage packof the blister card type (plan view perpendicularly from above) for twolithium button cells. Other examples of the retail and storage pack cancontain more than two button cells or else only one button cell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Our retail and storage pack is distinguished by the followingstructures:

-   a. it comprises a carrier, and-   b. it comprises a plastics molded part with a planar base surface    into which a depression has been introduced by thermoforming, and-   c. the planar base surface of the plastics molded part is fixed on    the carrier such that the depression, together with the carrier,    forms a closed receptacle for a cylindrical button cell,-   d. the receptacle—and thus also the recess—comprises a central space    of circular-cylindrical basic shape into which the button cell is    inserted, and-   e. the receptacle—and thus also the recess—comprises a side space    which is preferably configured as a bulge of the central space and    in such a way that it cannot be filled by the button cell.

The carrier is usually a cardboard blank. However, the carrier couldalso readily be composed of other materials, for example, a plastic, orcomprise such materials. Preferably, at least one side of the cardboardblank is printed in color and serves as a support surface for theplastics molded part.

The plastics molded part can essentially be composed of anythermoformable plastic. Preferably, it is composed of a transparentplastic. It is particularly preferably composed of polyvinyl chloride(PVC), for example.

The planar base surface of the plastics molded part is preferablylaminated and/or adhesively bonded onto the carrier, in particular thesupport surface which is printed in color.

The depression preferably has a planar base and a circumferential wallthat connects the base to the planar base surface. In the region of thecentral space, the base is preferably oriented parallel to the planarbase surface and thus also parallel to the carrier. The distance betweenthe base and the carrier defines the height of the central space.

The central space is adapted to the shape and the dimension of thecylindrical button cell inserted therein. The central space preferablyhas a diameter that exceeds the diameter of the button cell by a factorof 1.05 to 1.3. Further preferably, the central space has a height thatexceeds the height of the button cell by a factor of 1.01 to 1.2.

Without the side space, which is preferably configured as a bulge of thecentral space, the depression and thus also the receptacle is ofstrictly circular-cylindrical configuration. The presence of the sidespace ensures a deviation from a strictly circular-cylindrical geometry.The shape of the side space is not significant so the bulge can, forexample, be curved in a round manner or else have a corner or severalcorners. It is important merely that the side space is configured suchthat it cannot be filled by the button cell. For this purpose, the sidespace must comprise at least one subregion into which the button cell,even if it should have limited mobility within the recess, cannotpenetrate, at least not without destroying or deforming the recess.

This has the advantage that the recess in which the head cell is locatedcan be opened by a scissor cut through the side space, without touchingthe button cell. This is important insofar as the retail and storagepack of the blister card type is preferably configured such that itcannot be opened without tools to prevent accidental opening by a smallchild.

The side space particularly preferably has a smaller height than thecentral space, in particular a smaller height than the button celllocated in the central space. This can make the scissor cut easier. Inaddition, this is the simplest way to effectively prevent the buttoncell from penetrating into the side space.

The retail and storage pack is particularly preferably distinguished byat least one of the additional structures a. and b. below:

-   a. it comprises more than the one receptacle for a cylindrical    button cell, in particular two to eight of these receptacles.-   b. the receptacles are arranged separately from one another on the    carrier and are separated from one another by regions on the carrier    in which the planar base surface of the plastics molded part is    firmly connected to the carrier, in particular by adhesive bonding    and/or by welding.

The structures a. and b. above are preferably implemented in combinationwith one other. By implementing both structures, it can be ensured thatin a plurality of receptacles, the receptacles can still be opened onlyindividually.

The retail and storage pack is particularly preferably distinguished bythe following additional structure:

a. at least one scissor-cut marking, which leads through the side spaceor the side spaces, is located on the carrier.

The scissor-cut marking enables precise opening of individualreceptacles of the retail and storage pack.

Further preferably, the retail and storage pack is distinguished by atleast one of the additional structures a. to c. below:

-   a. the retail and storage pack comprises at least one reinforcement    film,-   b. the reinforcement film is connected to the planar base surface of    the plastics molded part, and-   c. the reinforcement film delimits the closed receptacle.

The structures a. to c. directly above are preferably implemented incombination with one other.

The reinforcement film is, for example, a film made of polyethyleneterephthalate, a polyolefin or a PVC film. The film preferably has athickness of 5 μm to 50 μm.

The reinforcement film makes it possible to design the carrier in atear-resistant manner. Since the plastics molded part is also usuallyconfigured to be tear-resistant, it can thus be ensured that opening ofthe pack without tools can be ruled out. In particular, thereinforcement film makes it possible to prevent a small child from beingable to push a button cell contained in the receptacle through thecarrier and thus remove it.

The carrier particularly preferably comprises a cardboard blank coveredwith the reinforcement film in a full-area manner or else only incertain regions. The reinforcement film may be applied only to that sideof the cardboard blank which serves as a support surface for theplastics molded part. However, said reinforcement film may additionallyor alternatively also be applied to the back of the cardboard blankand/or shield the edges of the cardboard blank.

In the region in which the planar base surface of the plastics moldedpart is fixed on the carrier, the carrier is particularly preferablyfree of perforations, folds or other structural elements that couldmechanically weaken it.

The button cell contained in the receptacle is preferably a lithiumbutton cell. Button cells of this type pose a relatively high risk inthe case of swallowing.

Further advantages and aspects of our packaging may be found in thefollowing description of a particularly preferred example and on thebasis of the drawing.

The retail and storage pack 100 as shown in the FIGURE comprises arectangular cardboard-based carrier 101 and a transparent plasticsmolded part 102 made of PVC. A suspension eye 103 is punched into thecarrier 101. The plastics molded part 102 comprises a planar basesurface 104 into which two depressions 105 and 106 have been introducedby means of thermoforming. Since the planar base surface 104 is gluedonto the carrier 101, the depressions 105 and 105 extend perpendicularlyupward toward the viewer in the illustration.

To design the carrier 101 in a tear-resistant manner, that part of thecarrier 101 which is in contact with the planar base surface 104 isreinforced with the reinforcement film 107 made of PVC. The reinforcedcarrier 101, together with the depressions 105 and 106, forms thereceptacles 109 and 109. The button cells 110 and 111 are located insaid receptacles so as to be housed in a childproof manner.

The receptacles 108 and 109 are each subdivided into a central space112, 113 of circular-cylindrical basic shape into which the button cells110, 111 are inserted, and a side space 114, 115 configured as a bulgeof the central space. The side spaces 114 and 115 have a smaller heightthan the button cells 110 and 111. The button cells 110 and 111therefore cannot penetrate into the side spaces 114, 115.

To open the packaging 100, the scissor-cut markings 116 and 117, whichlead through the side spaces 114 and 115, are located on the carrier101.

1-5. (canceled)
 6. A retail and storage pack in a blister card formcomprising: a carrier, and a plastics molded part with a planar basesurface into which a depression has been introduced by thermoforming,wherein the planar base surface of the plastics molded part is fixed onthe carrier such that the depression, together with the carrier, forms aclosed receptacle for a cylindrical button cell, the receptaclecomprises a central space of circular-cylindrical basic shape into whichthe button cell is inserted, and the receptacle comprises a side spaceconfigured as a bulge of the central space and is configured such thatit cannot be filled by the button cell.
 7. The retail and storage packas claimed in claim 6, further comprising at least one of: more than theone receptacle for a cylindrical button cell, and the receptacles arearranged separately from one another on the carrier and separated fromone another by regions on the carrier in which the planar base surfaceof the plastics molded part connected to the carrier.
 8. The retail andstorage pack as claimed in claim 6, further comprises: at least onescissor-cut marking leading through the side space or the side spacesand located on the carrier.
 9. The retail and storage pack as claimed inclaim 6, further comprising at least one of: the carrier comprises atleast one reinforcement film, the reinforcement film is connected to theplanar base surface of the plastics molded part, and the reinforcementfilm delimits the closed receptacle.
 10. The retail and storage pack asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the button cell contained in the receptacleis a lithium button cell.
 11. The retail and storage pack as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the more than one receptacle is two to eight of thereceptacles.